McCown wants to get a deal done quickly

A year ago, the last thing we’d expect to be writing on the first day of free agency is a story titled “McCown wants to get a deal done quickly.”

Even then, it would have more likely applied to Luke than Josh.

As it stands, the 34-year-old Josh McCown has become a hot name in a fairly cold quarterback market. Appearing Tuesday on SiriusXM NFL Radio, McCown said that he hopes to get a new deal with a new team done quickly.

McCown also said his list of potential teams is down to one or two.

He scoffed at the idea that he’s too old to be a starter, calling himself a “young 34.” McCown pointed out that, because he hasn’t played as much as other 30-something starters, he has taken less hits.

For McCown, whose eight appearances and five starts in 2013 were his most since starting and playing in nine games for the Raiders in 2007, the question becomes whether he’ll be able to duplicate last year’s performance in a new system. From a 66.5-percent completion percentage to 8.2 yards per attempt to 13 touchdowns to only one interception, McCown hit a level with Bears coach Marc Trestman that McCown has never before seen.

Still, in a league with more teams than competent quarterbacks, someone will be taking a chance on McCown. And there’s a chance that a guy whose reward for winning the NFC offensive player of the week award was to be sent back to the bench could have three or four more years of quality play before calling it quits.

True he enjoyed it under Trestman’s system but he had a pretty nifty back in Forte to run and catch and two giant receivers with amazing hands and wingspan the size of Manhatten in Marshall & Jeffrey. Why has no one mentioned this at all – obvious the secret to success.

Give him credit for utilizing Jeffrey while Cutler was always stuck on Marshall… that’s what happens Jay when you spread it around. 13:1

I hope he does well. It’s nice to see hard work rewarded at any age. He’s obviously been through many “failures” (or what someone more positive-minded would view as learning opportunities), and it’s fantastic to see him hang in there.

The whole thing reminds me of Rich Gannon. Not saying that McCown can be the same quarterback Gannon was, but his career path seems similar.

thatstinks says:Mar 11, 2014 11:02 AM

I would love for the Raiders to sign him…so we don’t have to reach on a qb with our first round pick . Maybe trade back and get some more .

metalhead65 says:Mar 11, 2014 11:11 AM

the team that signs him does realize that they will be getting just McCown and not Trestman and his offense right? are teams really that dumb that they are going to pay him for 5 starts last year and ignore what he did the rest of his carrer which was nothing? Ihope he goes to the jets where he will be exposed for the fraud he is, what happened to your family loving Chicago? what happened to the loyalty you talked about to the team and coach who revived your career? I know money talks but I hope it is worth it when return to sucking without the weapons you had to throw to with the Bears.

44mpo says:Mar 11, 2014 11:25 AM

Isn’t he just an older version of Matt Flynn? Not a proven quantity over the long haul.

purpleguy says:Mar 11, 2014 11:33 AM

Heck, he’s 34 and this is his last chance to make some dough and maybe start — how can anyone begrudge the guy under those circumstances?

McCown has been a career bust up until last year. To me it looks like he is probably a “system” QB that plays well in Trestman’s system. If I were in charge of signing players for an NFL team, I would look at his body of work as a whole & not just last year in Trestman’s system. And if I were the person in charge of player personnel of that hypothetical team, I would pass.

23chameleons says:Mar 11, 2014 12:51 PM

Welcome to Houston !

kurmudge says:Mar 11, 2014 1:57 PM

He’s less a “system QB” than he is a guy who finally got to throw to two very tall receivers with wide wingspans who seldom dropped passes and could high-point the ball as well as reaching those somewhat wild passes, plus a RB who could catch it out of the backfield.